Leia's Imaginary Friend
by VooDoo Lily
Summary: Follows 'For Your Ears Only.' ObiWan visits Leia on her ninth birthday and meets her imaginary friend. Complete.


Leia's Imaginary Friend

Summary: Obi-Wan visits Leia on her ninth birthday and meets her imaginary friend…

Disclaimer: None of the recognizable characters are mine.

It had been time for Obi-Wan to go. Luke's ninth birthday would arrive in a few days, and the Jedi had wanted to avoid celebrating the occasion. He had visited the boy on and off over the years, much to Owen's disapproval, but knowing Luke was about to become nine had reminded Obi-Wan too much of Anakin at that age. It certainly didn't help matters that Luke was already growing up to look a lot like his father.

Therefore, Kenobi had gotten in touch with Bail Organa and asked if he could stay at Alderaan for a day, not daring to risk a longer duration there in case the Empire decided to conduct a search. Organa had happily agreed, saying he would love Leia to meet him. Arrangements had been made, and the trip had gone smoothly. No one had looked twice at a gray-haired man in a worn brown cloak.

The comfortable weather and mountainous environment of Alderaan was a major change from the harsh climate and rough sands of Tatooine, a change that Obi-Wan welcomed. He made his way to the palace on foot and entered the building from a side entrance, the way Bail had told him to.

The Viceroy was there to greet him, and he and Obi-Wan clasped arms and hugged each other warmly. "It is good to see you, old friend," Bail said.

"Likewise, Bail." The light in Obi-Wan's blue eyes dimmed a little bit as he asked cautiously "How is the Princess?"

"Leia is fine. She's playing in her room. Would you like to see her?"

Kenobi nodded, unable to wait despite his normally patient nature. The last time he had seen Leia, she had been a newborn baby. He was anxious to see what she looked like now as a nine-year-old.

Bail led him through the palace corridors, stopping at a room down the hall. He knocked on the door and called "Leia, sweetheart? There's someone here to see you."

The princess' handmaiden opened the door to let them in before respectfully taking a place where she would be unobtrusive yet available if the Viceroy, his daughter, or their guest needed anything.

Bail and Obi-Wan stepped inside the room, the Knight taking it all in. The walls were painted a light pink, and a bed stood in the upper right corner of the room. A low-legged table was positioned in the middle of the room, and Leia was sitting at it with some dolls positioned around her, having a tea party. All the chairs were occupied except for the one to Leia's immediate right, which was pulled out as if for a guest, but remained empty.

Bail went over to his daughter and placed a hand on her left shoulder. "Leia, this is an old friend of mine. His name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. He came to visit you because it's your birthday."

Leia solemnly stared at the graying Jedi before looking at her father and asking "If he's your friend, why is he visiting me?"

Obi-Wan smiled. "I've met you before, Leia," he explained, "but you were only a baby then. I understand that you're nine years old today, and I wanted to see you now that you're a big girl."

She shrugged. "I guess that makes it okay then. Would you like to have some tea with me, Mister Kenobi?"

"I would, please. Thank you."

Bail saw that they were getting along and decided to leave them alone. He signaled to the handmaiden to come with him as he left the room and told Leia and Obi-Wan that he would see them again for lunch.

As soon as her father and handmaiden were gone, Leia removed the doll sitting closest to her from the table and asked Obi-Wan to sit down in its place. He hesitated at her offer, glancing at the chair that had been empty all along before pointing to it. "Wouldn't you like me to sit there instead? That way your…'guest' wouldn't have to leave." He looked over at the discarded doll now lying on the floor.

"Oh, you can't sit there," Leia said about the chair he had indicated. "Someone's already sitting there."

Kenobi's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"My friend. She's waving at you right now."

"Forgive me, but I don't see anyone there."

Leia rolled her eyes. "I know that," she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Otherwise you wouldn't have asked about sitting in her chair." She shook her head and went about pouring imaginary tea for the members of her tea party.

Obi-Wan decided to do as Leia had asked and sat in the seat she had provided for him. He was still curious about her invisible "friend." He had heard of children having imaginary friends, but Leia was the child of Anakin Skywalker. Perhaps her imaginary friend was not really imaginary, but a presence made manifest to her through the Force. His first thought was that it was Qui-Gon, who Obi-Wan, after nearly a decade of training, was only now coming into contact with while not in meditation, yet Leia had referred to her friend as a "she."

"Leia," the Jedi began, "can you tell me what your friend looks like?"

He heard a silvery peal of laughter. "You know what I look like, Obi-Wan," a woman's voice spoke.

He blinked in surprise. Who had said that? He had been looking at Leia the whole time, and she hadn't laughed or spoken just now. In fact, the girl was pouring "tea" from her empty teapot as if she hadn't heard Obi-Wan at all.

He cleared his throat and decided to try again. "What is your friend's name?"

Leia paid attention to him this time, looking up from her pouring. "Why not ask her yourself? She was just talking to you."

"But—"

"Leia, could you leave me and Obi-Wan alone for a little while, please? We have to discuss some grown-up things."

He sucked in his breath at hearing that woman's voice again, almost missing Leia's exit as she quietly picked up her discarded doll and left the room with it in her arms.

He looked at the empty chair once more, but this time, he focused on the space above it, looking at the approximate height where the voice had come from. "Why can't I see you?" he asked.

"You can. Just close your eyes."

He did so.

"Now, imagine me sitting in that chair."

He pictured her the way he had seen her last, dressed in a long white gown, her brown curls loose. He then felt something warm touch his forehead, like the brushing of fingertips against his skin. He opened his eyes again, and she was sitting there before him just as he had imagined.

"Padmé," he breathed. He drank in her appearance for a few moments, and then asked "How is this possible?"

"The Force," she said simply.

"But I thought only Qui-Gon--"

"He taught me what he had learned after I... He was with me—with us—at the end. He tells me you've seen him a few times while meditating."

Obi-Wan nodded. "But he never mentioned you. And I've never seen you with him. Have you…have you been here this whole time, on Alderaan, I mean?"

"I have. And I asked Qui-Gon not to tell you about me. I wanted it to be a surprise when you saw me again."

He smiled. "I am indeed surprised." A moment later, though, his smile wavered, and he said with a heavy sigh, "I have missed you... I have missed you very much."

"I've missed you too, but I'm glad you're here. I wanted to tell you something important."

"Is it about Luke and Leia?" he asked, already steeling himself for the news.

"No," she assured him. "It's about you, actually."

"Me?"

"Yes," she insisted with a laugh. "I wanted to tell you… that I love you."

His eyes widened. "Oh…"

"I never told you how much I cared about you, and I should have. Qui-Gon feels the same way."

"Uh, yes, he told me…" Obi-Wan said a bit distractedly, remembering the last time he had spoken to his Master through the Force. He took a breath, calming himself down, and then his face lit up with a smile. "Thank you for telling me, Padmé. I hope you know I loved you too."

She nodded. "I do." She gave him a wide smile, and then her image began flickering, as if it was a hologram.

Alarmed, Obi-Wan jumped to his feet. "What's going on?"

"I'm afraid this is goodbye, Obi-Wan," Padmé said as her image continued to slowly fade away. "I've waited until I could tell you my feelings, and now that I have, the Force is calling to me."

"But I've only just heard from you again!" he protested.

"I'm not a Jedi," she reminded him. "I never should have been taught how to make myself appear to you." She added with gentle humor, "It was only Qui-Gon's recklessness and my own stubborn nature that let me do this."

"Don't go," he pleaded with her. "Please."

"I will never be far away," she assured him. "Every time you feel the Force, you will feel my love. Every time you see Luke or Leia, you will see my presence. Remember, I will be with you. Always." With her last words, she faded away completely, leaving Obi-Wan alone in the room.

He wasn't alone for long, however. The door opened, and Leia peered inside. When she saw Obi-Wan slump back down in his chair, she came in, dragging the stuffed animal she had taken with her by one arm. "Are you okay, Mister Kenobi?" she asked.

Obi-Wan blinked a few times, Leia's question registering in his mind. He looked down at the little girl, and a lump rose in his throat as he realized for the first time how much Leia must have resembled Padmé at that age. Tears welled up in his eyes, but they were dried by what seemed to be a warm breeze blowing through the room. He knew, however, that what he had felt had not been an ordinary breeze, but the Force itself. He remembered Padmé's words and smiled.

"Yes, Leia," he said softly. "I've never been better."


End file.
